Osteonecrosis/Avascular Necrosis

Miami Osteonecrosis Attorney Helping the Injured

Osteonecrosis or avascular necrosis is a relatively new disease to the medical world, and its causes are not yet fully understood. The term osteonecrosis comes from the latin root words "osteo" meaning bone, and "necros", meaning death. It is a devastatingly painful condition in which the blood supply to the bone is cut off or compromised, resulting in the traumatic withering away and ultimate collapse of the bone or joint.

Osteonecrosis is estimated to afflict 10,000 to 20,000 new patients each year in the United States alone, according to the Center for Osteonecrosis Research and Education (CORE). Typically, it involves the larger articulating, or moving, joints in the body, like the hip, knee and elbow. Once osteonecrosis begins, there is no cure, other than a total joint replacement, where the dead bone is removed and an artificial metal joint is placed in the body.

Traumatic injuries, such as a hip fracture and dislocation, can of course cause osteonecrosis to occur, if the blood supply has been cut off for any period of time. When trauma has not occurred, determining the cause of osteonecrois is much more difficult. While the exact causes and etiology of non-traumatic osteonecrosis are not known, experts recognize several known risk factors., such as traumatic injury, alcohol abuse, blood disorders, autoimmune disorders such as Lupus, and high dose steroid use.

The Florida personal injury trial attorneys of Greenberg & Stone, P.A. have handled several cases involving the painful and debilitating effects of osteonecrosis. In one case, a 45-year old man injured his back in a slip and fall accident, and received numerous epidural steroid injections for pain relief. Ultimately, he developed osteonecrosis of the hip, requiring a painful procedure known as a core decompression, where a hole is drilled into the bone. His doctors state that he will need a total hip replacement within five years. In another case, a 27-year old was prescribed high dosages of steroids for treatment of a skin disorder, resulting in osteonecrosis in both hips. He was already had one total hip replacement and is awaiting the surgery on the other hip.

Greenberg & Stone have the experience, knowledge and resources to effectively present the dynamics of an osteonecrosis-related injury to a jury. We have met with some of the world's foremost authorities on the disease, and understand the complexities of the treatment. For instance, depending on a person's age at the time the osteonecrosis sets in, numerous revisions of the original replacement may be required, resulting in high future medical costs. Each revision becomes more difficult than the last, requiring greater recovery time and increased pain and suffering. These are important factors that a jury must be presented with.

If you or a family member has developed osteonecrosis as a result of an accident, injury, medical malpractice or other means, contact the personal injury attorneys of Greenberg & Stone, P.A., today. You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. With offices throughout Florida in Miami, Weston, Boca Raton, Orlando and Tampa, call us now for a free consultation.